N.J. Assembly approves bill lowering capacity of gun magazines

A bill that would limit the capacity of firearms in New Jersey from the current maximum of 15 rounds to 10 cleared the Assembly on Thursday.

The measure passed during a busy session day that also saw lawmakers advance several other bills, including one that requires follow-up studies of former residents of state developmental centers to assess their well-being.

“I have been to all seven of our state's centers and I have met with the residents and their families,” said Valerie Vainieri Huttle D-Englewood. “In most cases, NJ state developmental centers are providing outstanding service and support in caring for our most profoundly developmentally disabled citizens. The best way to ensure our health centers continue to provide the best care is by speaking to former residents and evaluating their exit or transition process back into the community.”

The bill, which passed the assembly 75-0, would include studies of all former residents of state developmental centers who have made a transition into the community under the Department of Human Services "Path to Progress" plan. The plan is designed to make sure that those with developmental disabilities can live in communities if their habilitation plan allows for it.

The gun measure, over the objections of several Republicans who questioned what affect the proposed tighter limit on magazine capacity would have on stopping criminals from using illegal guns, passed the Democratic-controlled Assembly by a 46-31 margin.

Democratic sponsors of the legislation, which was the subject of a contentious, more than three-hour committee hearing earlier this month, said the bill was inspired by the parents of children killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The shooter killed 20 children and six adults, but several in the school were able to escape when he had to reload, and many parents are now advocating for tighter magazine limit.

“There is no second amendment right to have a capacity of a magazine clip of 15 rounds,” said Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, during the debate.

“This is not taking away a single right of a single person in this state, in this country,” said Greenwald, the bill’s primary sponsor.

But gun rights advocates have contended that the proposed magazine limit wiould have no impact on the violent criminals in New Jersey who tend to obtain their guns illegally. The proposed limit — which doesn’t impact hunters using shotguns — would only inconvenience law-abiding gun owners, they have argued.

“Passage of the gun magazine ban is a victory for all gun-toting criminals who will continue to ignore our gun laws,” said Assemblyman David Rible, R-Monmouth. “At the same time, the legislation approved today only serves to make criminals out of law-abiding gun owners.”

A version of the magazine capacity bill has been introduced in the state Senate, but has yet to come up in a committee yet for a vote.

Governor Christie, a Republican, did not take a firm stand on the magazine-capacity legislation when asked about it during a town hall-style event last week.

Other bills that advanced Thursday included tougher prison and parole penalties for registered pedophiles who commit new crimes, and a call for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to increase the minimum wage for workers at Newark Liberty Airport.